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My heart is with the Ukrainian people.

April 1, 2022

Wisdom 2:1a,12–24 | John 7:1–2,10,25–30 | Psalm 34:15–22

I pondered today’s readings while digesting the latest news from Ukraine. I thought particularly of footage showing parents kissing children goodbye as they defend their homeland, and of maternity and children’s hospitals shelled by Russian forces. 

“The righteous cry, and the Lord hears them 
and delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted 
and will save those whose spirits are crushed.
Many are the troubles of the righteous, 
but the Lord will deliver him out of them all.
He will keep safe all his bones; 
not one of them shall be broken.”

How can this be, when we see so many innocent lives lost? Surely it’s not as simple as good triumphing over evil, with God Himself intervening dramatically to ensure a perfect outcome. If that were so, there would be no war. 

Then I remembered an interview I once heard with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who faced discrimination, hatred, and violence in South Africa. Essentially, he said that God favors peace and justice, but God is meek: it is up to man to act in accordance with God’s will. We must make peace. 

Perhaps, then, God is alongside those suffering in Ukraine (and elsewhere), even if He does not guarantee an immediate outcome here on Earth. Perhaps He shows Himself through volunteers, doctors, and ordinary citizens who persevere with love and kindness amidst this darkness.

Today’s readings also tell of Jesus continuing his work despite knowing that many wanted him dead. That felt particularly relevant. I’ve heard many Ukrainian citizens say they’re sure they will die, but they hope to die without too much pain or fear, and while doing what’s right. Surely, God is with them, no matter the events that transpire here on Earth. 

In this Lenten season, we hear of redemption, salvation, and new life after great hardship and suffering. As I reflect on those themes, my heart is with the Ukrainian people. 

Katie Anderson

[Image: a statue of Jesus Christ is removed from the Armenian Cathedral of Lviv, Ukraine, to be stored in a bunker for protection for the first time since WWII. Photo credit to Tim LeBerre.]